Outside Landmark House are, left to right, Suffolk County Council chief executive, Deborah Cadman, chief constable, Simon Ash, chair of the police authority, Cllr Joanna Spicer and leader of the council, Cllr Mark Bee.
Suffolk: Fears over cost of new council/police offices at Landmark House
By Paul Geater
Friday, November 2, 2012
12:30 PM
WEEKS after county council and police staff moved into the new Landmark House offices on the edge of Ipswich, there is still no indication what the final bill for the project will be.
Opposition politicians have insisted that with the building work complete and staff from both the county council and the police working in the building, the full details of the cost should now be published.
When work to convert the building on the edge of Ipswich was first proposed two years ago, the cost of its purchase and conversion by the county council and Suffolk Police Authority was estimated at between £11 and £14 million.
Work on the project was completed on time this summer with staff moving in during September – but while officials were keen to stress it was completed on time, they insisted the budget could not be revealed yet because it was “commercially confidential.”
Lisa Chambers is the Suffolk County Council cabinet member responsible for property. She said: “We are still working on that (the final figures) and it is not fully accounted just yet.
“When you are doing a big project like this you expect it to take time. We still have the contract with the firm and we are working through the costs and financials with them.”
That has not satisfied opposition councillors who have been concerned about the cost of refurbishing a building that went up 10 years ago but has never been used until now.
Liberal Democrat spokesman on resources Andrew Cann said: “I have had concerns about this project from the start and there are still major question marks over it – the costs still appear to be a concern.”
He felt that at a time when the county council and the police were shedding jobs it was not necessary to invest millions in smart new offices.
And Labour group leader Sandy Martin was angered about the lack of information about the costs of the project: “I think it is absolutely outrageous that there is no clear accounting for how public money has been spent on this project.
“The money for this has been provided by council taxpayers, and everyone has the right to know how their money is being spent.”
The county council’s partner in the development – Suffolk Police Authority – will cease to exist later this month after November 15’s elections see its powers transferred to the county’s first Police and Crime Commissioner.
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6 comments
Perhaps the Police can comment on their staffs opinion of the place . Also how the response of the Police to incidents will be affected . To have a Police station Council office in a place like this is a joke . Apparently it is to save money , well lets just see .
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Poppys Dad
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Not sure how they are able to predict how much they will save by cutting services for residents (libruaries, bus passes) yet don't seem to know how much is being spent on major capital projects. Sounds like there was no control over the main contract and changes or additions as work progressed. Either that or the cost is so high nobody wants to tell us. Maybe once the Police Authority is abolished they can carry the can as they can no longer defend themselves.
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amsterdam81
Saturday, November 3, 2012
It would be wise for the powers that be to learn a lesson and take a bit more long term consideration before allowing the building of these eyesores in the first place. In general, one whiff of a developer with a pocket full of comlimentary hotels and one bed flats to grease the wheels and councils round here roll over on their backs.
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Sarky Sage
Friday, November 2, 2012
But what will the value of the land they have left? The plot - old Police StationCrown Courts Council offices must be worth a bit.
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The original Victor Meldrew
Friday, November 2, 2012
"commercially confidential"? Twaddle, shudder to think what the final bill will be. No one on the council capable of running a project like this money wise? Pathetic.
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JOHN BURLS
Friday, November 2, 2012
It would be quite interesting to have a little sweepstake on this. I wager that the bill will be £3.5 million (to the nearest half million) above the top estimate of £14m i.e. £17.5m.
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T Doff
Friday, November 2, 2012